Fire extinguisher and alarm



s She ets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1952 Fig. 2.

R. Wm m CV9 W a a 8 e m J w Z i v 1 m I 1 1 a E: n p 5 Filed March 14,1952 p 21, 1954 J. 5. WHATLEY 2,689,613

FIRE .EXTINGUISHER AND .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 James S. What/e INVENTOR.

BY Mam J. 5. WHATLEY FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM Sept. 21,1954

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1952 Fig. .9.

Fig. 8.

' Jan res S. Whatley nvmvrm Patented Sept. 21, 11 954 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM James S. Whatley, Pensacola,Fla.

Application March 14, 1952, Serial No. 276,483

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fireextinguishers and the primary object of the present invention is toprovide a combination fire extinguisher and alarm that will direct anextinguishing fluid over a fire area as a sound device is actuated.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide .aceiling mounted fire extinguisher and alarm that will be held in aninactive position by a fusible member, so that when the fusible memberis fused the extinguisher will gravitate into its operative position todispense an extinguishing fluid and sound an alarm.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fireextinguisher and alarm having means associated therewith for supplyingadditional extinguishing fluid when the contents .of the extinguisherhave been dispensed.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a fireextinguisher and alarm that is simple and practical in construction,strong and reliable in use, efficient and durable in operation,inexpensive to manufacture, install, service and refill, and otherwisewell adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the present inventionin position for use;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the presentinvention showing the same inverted approximately 180 from the positionshown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of Figure 1showing the manner in which the dispensing end of the container is heldraised by a latch means mounted on the base member;

Figure l is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially.on the plane of section line l-fii of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the planeof section line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the planeof section line 66 of Figure 2; i

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the auxiliary reservoir or Watercontaining jacket employed in conjunction with the container; V

Figure 8 is .an elevational view of the present 2 invention operativelyconnected to a source of water; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side View of Figure 8.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numeral l0 represents a preferably cylindrical containerhaving end walls [2 and HI. End wall [12 is formed with a pair oftapered discharge nozzles I6 that face in the manner shown in Figure 6for a purpose presently to be described.

A circular hand gripping rail I1 is spaced from the end wall 12 and isfixed to rigid arms 18 that are fixed, by suitable means, to the outerperiphery of the container I0, adjacent the end wall 12, whereby thecontainer may be handled in a convenient manner.

A longitudinal tube 29 is terminally fixed to the end walls 12 and M,and extends axially through the container 10 to receive a shaft 22 whoselower ends project outwardly through central apertures in the end wallsl2 and M. The end of shaft 22 that extends through end wall i2 removablysupports a spreader member 24 including a perforated plate 26 having anundulated peripheral flange 28 that extends toward the end wall l2 to beengaged by an extinguishing fluid discharged from the nozzle It.

A foraminous cap 30 is fitted over the end of the container 10 remotefrom hand gripping rails 11 and is retained about container Ill by aspring or resilient band .32. The cap 30 encloses a bell member 34 thatis secured to a ll-shaped bracket 36 fixed to .end wall 14. The end ofshaft 22 that extends outwardly through end wall 114 supports ahorizontal arm 38 whose ends pivotally carry striker elements 40 forengaging the peripheral wall of hell member 34 in order to sound analarm.

A base member 42 is provided for supporting the container 10. The lowerend of the member is bifurcated and the furcations it thereof terminatein horizontal bearing sleeves 46 that generally receive coaxialhorizontal trun nions 48 fixed to diametrically opposite sides ofcontainer Ill adjacent end wall It. The container [-0 is thus pivota-llyattached to the base member for vertical swinging movement and theportion of the container 1 0 supporting rail i? will be disposed betweenthe furcations it when the cap supporting end of the container isdisposed above the rail supporting end of the container, as shown inFigure 1.

lChe upper end of base member 42 is provided with a mounting flange 50for engaging over a rafter or the like R to which the base member isremovably secured. The upper portion of base member 42 is also providedwith a vertical slot 53 in which a horizontal pin 54 is suitablyretained. Pin 54 extends through the central sleeve portion 56 of alatch 58 having a lip 60 at one end and an eye 62 at its opposite end.

A weight 64 is attached to a hanger cord 66 depending from the eye 52and urges the lip 60 upwardly to the dotted line position showndn Figure3. A cord 68 is also attached at one end to the eye 62 and to astructural member (not shown) in order to hold the latch substantiallyhorizontal with its lip 60 engaged with a U-shaped rigid keeper l fixedto the container H3 adjacent end wall I2, and thereby retain thecontainer disposed as shown in Figure 1.

A tube 12 is fixed at one end to the end wall it and its other endterminates short of end wall it. This sleeve receives a suitablechemical C that will react with a chemical C in the container Ii! whenthe container I0 is inverted from its position shown in Figure 1, toproduce an extinguishing fluid. Various types of reacting chemicals maybe employed such as chlorine and carbon sulphide in order to producecarbon tetrachloride. Obviously, other suitable chemicals, frequentlyemployed in fire extinguishers, may be used in place or" the chemicals 0and C1.

When a fire is started that will burn the cord 6%, the tension in thecord 68 will be relieved and weight 64 will raise lip 60 from keeper 10,whereupon the cap supporting end of the container [0 will swingdownwardly below the rail supporting end of the container. As this phaseof operation occurs, the two chemicals in the container will mix togenerate an extinguishing fluid that will pass through the nozzles it.

The extinguishing fiuid will be directed against fiange 28 causingmember 24 to rotate and spread the extinguishing fluid. During rotationof member 24, the arm 38 will rotate and striker ele- 4 downwardly fromits position shown in Figure 1, in order to open the valve 90.

Since the pressure of the gas generated in the container ID will exceedthe pressure of the liquid in conduit 82, the water will not enter thecontainer l0 until the pressure of water in the conduit exceeds thepressure of the gas in the container. Then, water will enter thecontainer to pass outwardly through nozzles l6.

Obviously, any suitable number of branch lines 68a may extend from themain line 68 and toward the floor surface. When one of such branch linesis set afire it will burn to rope 68 to set the latter afire and thetension in rope 68 will be relieved and cause releasing of the latchwith the container. It is also noted that any suitable number of thecontainers H] and their associated .base members 42 may be employed in afire extinguishing system in order to effectively cover the area where afire started.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, an elongatedcontainer having first and second ends, means pivotally securing thefirst end of said container to the base member, latch means on the basemember engaging the second end of said container to retain the secondend of the container over the first end of the container, said containerhaving discharge means at its second end, a rotary spreader memberfacing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated as an extinguishingfluid is discharged thereagainst, a signal disposed at the first end ofsaid container and operatively connected to the spreader member to beactuated during rotation of the spreader member, tensioned meansengaging the latch means to hold the latch means engaged with the secondend of the container until said latch engaging means is relieved of itstension, whereby the latch means will release the second end of thecontainer so that the second end of the container will swing under thefirst ments 4G will engage the bell member 34 to sound an alarm.Obviously, the shaft 22 could be connected by electrical means to anelectrical alarm, either visual or sound, so that as the member 24 isrotated the alarm or signal, either electrical or visual, will beactuated.

In order to increase the capacity of the container for dispensingextinguishing fluid, a hollow-semicylindrical jacket 14 embraces aportion of the container 10 and is removably secured to the container byfasteners it as shown in Figure 5. The jacket it contains a fluid, suchas water, and includes a discharge spout or nozzle I8 that extendstoward the spreader member 24 as shown in Figure 2. The jacket i4 isalso provided with an air vent tube so that liquid in the jacket maygravitate through the nozzle '18 and against the spreader.

Figures 8 and 9 deal with an additional means of supplying anextinguishing fluid or water to the container it. This means comprises asupply conduit 82 extending from a source of water under pressure andhaving a T-fitting 84 mounted on its free end. One leg of fitting 84receives an L-shaped pipe 85 that enters the conduit l0 through a borein one of the trunnions 48, and the other leg of the T-fitting 84receivably engages the stem 33 of a valve that engages a seat 92 in thefitting 84.

The stem 88 terminates in an angulated outwardly extending portion 94for engagement with a lug 95 on the container ii], as the latter swingsend of the container, and a hollow reservoir forming jacket securedabout the container and having a discharge nozzle facing said spreadermember.

' 2. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, anelongated container having first and second ends, means pivotallysecuring the first end of said container to the base member, latch meanson the base member engaging the second end of said container to retainthe second end of the container over the first end of the container,said container having discharge means at its second end, a rotaryspreader member facing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated asan extinguishing fiuid is discharged thereagainst, said spreader memberincluding a supporting shaft extending axially through the container, asignal device at the first end of the container connected to the shaftto be actuated during rotation of the shaft, and a tensioned memberattached to the latch means to retain the latch means engaged with thesecond end of the container until the tensioned member is relieved ofits tension.

3. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member, an elongatedcontainer having first and second ends, means pivotally securing thefirst end of said container to the base member, latch means on the basemember engaging the second end of said container to retain the secondend of the container over the first end of the container, said containerhaving discharge means at its second end, a rotary spreader memberfacing the discharge means and adapted to be rotated as an extinguishingfluid is discharged thereagainst, said spreader member including asupporting shaft extending axially through the container, a bell membersupported at the second end of said container, a striker attached to theshaft for striking the bell member during rotation of the shaft, andreleasable means engaging and holding the latch means engaged with thesecond end of the containerl 4. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprisinga base member, an elongated container having first and second ends,means pivotally securing the first end of said container to the basemember, latch means on the base member engaging the second end of saidcontainer to retain the second end of the container over the first endof the container, said container having discharge means at its secondend, a rotary spreader member facing the discharge means and adapted tobe rotated as an extinguishing fluid is discharged thereagainst, saidspreader member including a supporting shaft extending axially throughthe container, a bell member supported at the second end of saidcontainer, a striker attached to the shaft for striking the bell memberduringrotation of the shaft, and fusible means attached to the latchmeans and retaining the latch means engaged with the second end of thecontainer.

5. A fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a base member having upperand lower portions, a vertically swingable container pivoted at one endto the lower portion of the base member, a gravity actuated latch at theupper portion of the base member engaging the other end of thecontainer, fusible means attached to the latch and holding thelatchengaged with said other end of the container, a rotatable spreadermember at said other end of said container, discharge nozzles at thesaid other end of said container facing the spreader member to cause thespreader member to rotate as an extinguishing fluid is dischargedthrough the nozzles, and a sounding device operatively connected to thespreader member to be actuated during rotation of the spreader member,and a hollow reservoir forming jacket secured about the container andhaving a discharge nozzle also facing the spreader member for directinga liquid in the jacket against the spreader member.

6. The combination of claim 4 and a conduit entering the container andextending from a source of liquid under pressure to supply the liquid tothe container, a valve in the conduit blocking the passage of liquidfrom the conduit into the container, and means carried by the containerfor engaging and moving the valve to its open position operated byswinging of the container.

'7. The combination of claim 4, and liquid supply means connected to thecontainer and responsive to internal pressure in the container andswinging movement of the container for supplying a liquid to thecontainer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 758,362 Hicks Apr. 26, 1904 1,026,856 Farr May 21, 19121,379,850 Canova, Jr. et a1. May 31, 1921

